Does anyone else wash cars at a car dealers lot? If so, share your stories

Real Riders

Real Riders

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I have an meeting on Monday with a huge Chevrolet Dealer to wash all the cars on the lot. I will not agree to the regular spray and wipe method that most dealers request (Dealer wipedown). This is the method I use ---

Hand wash every car using the two bucket method
Dry with a Water Sprite Chamois
Wipe down wheels
Dress Tires if needed (extra cost)

If you wash cars at a car dealer, share your stories on price, products and your washing process. Also how many cars are you able to wash per hour?
 
If you wash every car with a 2 bucket method on the whole lot you are going to be there a very long time. How big of a lot are we talking? Working by yourself or with a crew?
 
Real Riders said:
I have an meeting on Monday with a huge Chevrolet Dealer to wash all the cars on the lot. I will not agree to the regular spray and wipe method that most dealers request. This is the method I use ---

Hand wash every car using the two bucket method
Dry with a Water Sprite Chamois
Wipe down wheels
Dress Tires if needed (extra cost)

If you wash cars at a car dealer, share your stories on price, products and your washing process. Also how many cars are you able to wash per hour?
Click to expand...


Good luck im sure they don't care how u wash as long it looks clean
 
Chris@AutoCleanse said:
If you wash every car with a 2 bucket method on the whole lot you are going to be there a very long time. How big of a lot are we talking? Working by yourself or with a crew?
Click to expand...

Right now I am working by myself. I will wash half the car, rinse the wash mitt in the rinse bucket, and then wash the other side. Then I use the rinse bucket again before washing the top parts of the car. I can wash 3 cars per hour, maybe 4 if the cars are small
.
 
They won't go for it. I've spoke to several, one in the works, but they want all done within 8 hours so customers won't be pestered if they like a car.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using AG Online
 
Real Riders said:
Right now I am working by myself. I will wash half the car, rinse the wash mitt in the rinse bucket, and then wash the other side. Then I use the rinse bucket again before washing the top parts of the car. I can wash 3 cars per hour, maybe 4 if the cars are small
.
Click to expand...

Where I work we have 500+ cars. I don't see how a single person could wash the lot by themselves unless they worked 24/7.

All that happens where I work is a pressure wash and chamois dry on the used cars. Everything else doesn't get washed until it sells.

Once it sells, it is properly washed, clayed, polished, and waxed.
 
FUNX725 said:
Good Luck with your interview...
Convincing a dealership of your processes and desired wage package is going to be arduous.

Here's a couple of good threads on this subject:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/78097-dealer-washing.html
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...g-cars/75554-dealer-wipe-downs-1-per-car.html

Bob
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I agree Bob, the dealers do not want to pay. I do not want to wash cars on the car lot for less that $5 a car and I feel that is too low. I would like $5 for small cars -- $7 for Vans and Sport Utilities, and $8 for trucks ---Tire dressing extra. The Chevrolet Dealer has VW, Hyundai, Chevy, used cars and a special finance lot. Probably 300 cars total. Right now they just want the import lot washed (50 to 75 cars)
 
Don't walk away from this! RUN! As fast as you can! Lol!
 
Just02896 said:
Don't walk away from this! RUN! As fast as you can! Lol!
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I really believe that car dealers are not able to find anyone to wash cars. Every large new franchise dealer I have ever seen has filthy dirty cars on the lot. Washing cars in the hot sun (90 degrees) for 8 hours a day is not a job that most people would enjoy, or ever agree to
 
the next guys that comes behind you and does all the work for $5 per vehicle will take your place
 
yes, i read a thread on autopia (i tried looking it up for you) a while back

Some guy worked for a dealership for (i think) 10 years. It was $100 a car and 100 cars a month. He had his crew and everything.. some day another crew comes by and said his prices are $5 cheaper, boom, no more work for him

EDIT: FOUND IT! i was pretty wrong on the story haha

Dealership Account Woes - Autopia Forums - Auto Detailing & Car Care Discussion Forum
 
thebamboo23 said:
yes, i read a thread on autopia (i tried looking it up for you) a while back

Some guy worked for a dealership for (i think) 10 years. It was $100 a car and 100 cars a month. He had his crew and everything.. some day another crew comes by and said his prices are $5 cheaper, boom, no more work for him
Click to expand...

I agree, that is possible. There is probably lots of competition for detailers since they get $100 a car but I wouldn't think there would be much competition for lot washers but I may be wrong.
 
Real Riders said:
I really believe that car dealers are not able to find anyone to wash cars. Every large new franchise dealer I have ever seen has filthy dirty cars on the lot. Washing cars in the hot sun (90 degrees) for 8 hours a day is not a job that most people would enjoy, or ever agree to
Click to expand...

I agree completely! One would work their a** off at a very fast pace for very little profit. I'm too old for this type of work plus my OCD would prevent me from making any profit at all! Lol!
 
Just02896 said:
I agree completely! One would work their a** off at a very fast pace for very little profit. I'm too old for this type of work plus my OCD would prevent me from making any profit at all! Lol!
Click to expand...

If you don't mind me asking. How old are you?
 
In sorry but that will probably not work. Most lot washers charge $1-3 per car and will spray and wipe. Dealers do not care about 'proper' technique or swirl marks.

You will be doing an incredible amount of work for $15 an hour? If you are going to do this just hire a teenager, charge $2.50 per car and do 25 an hour. Its the only way to make work like that profitable and worth the effort.

I washed car lots for 2 years by the way.

Be ready to get undercut also. Most dealers will dump you in a heartbeat to save .25 a car. Just the nature of the business.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
 
VP Mark said:
In sorry but that will probably not work. Most lot washers charge $1-3 per car and will spray and wipe. Dealers do not care about 'proper' technique or swirl marks.

You will be doing an incredible amount of work for $15 an hour? If you are going to do this just hire a teenager, charge $2.50 per car and do 25 an hour. Its the only way to make work like that profitable and worth the effort.

I washed car lots for 2 years by the way.

Be ready to get undercut also. Most dealers will dump you in a heartbeat to save .25 a car. Just the nature of the business.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I figure $20 an hour is the most I could make and it will probably be more like $15 an hour (3 cars an hour). I use my soap and the dealers water. If most dealers pay $1 to $3 a car, I may not come to an agreement with the dealer
 
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